Polenta Cheese Timballos With Eggs And Spinach Recipes

POLENTA-CHEESE TIMBALLOS WITH EGGS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Line baking sheet with aluminum foil. Spray bottoms only of six 3/4-cup custard cups with vegetable oil spray. Pour cornmeal into heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Whisk over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer slowly until cornmeal loses its raw taste and mixture is very thick and is reduced to 3 1/2 cups, stirring frequently, about 45 minutes. Whisk in 1/2 cup butter and Parmesan cheese. Season polenta to taste with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Ladle generous 1/4 cup hot polenta into each custard cup; cool 2 minutes. Using back of spoon, spread polenta evenly over bottom and up sides of cup. Drop generous 1 tablespoon warm polenta onto prepared baking sheet; repeat 5 more times, forming 6 mounds total and spacing 3 inches apart (reserve remaining polenta for another use). Using back of spoon, spread each portion on baking sheet to 3 1/4-inch round. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons Gruyère cheese into each polenta-lined cup. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate polenta-lined custard cups and polenta rounds separately.)
• Carefully break 1 egg into each polenta-lined custard cup. Sprinkle egg with salt and pepper. Sprinkle remaining Gruyère cheese over. Cover Gruyère in each cup with 1 polenta round. Transfer cups to baking sheet. Bake until polenta is heated through and eggs are softly set, about 25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes. Using small sharp knife, cut around polenta in each cup. Place plate atop each custard cup; invert, holding plate and cup together and allowing polenta to settle onto plate.
• Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach; stir until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Surround polenta timballos with spinach. Sprinkle chopped tomatoes over spinach.

BAKED POLENTA AND MUSHROOM TIMBALES

Steps:

• Butter six half-cup ovenproof ramekins. Preheat oven to 350.
• Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, add the mushrooms and saute over high heat until they are lightly browned. Set aside.
• Bring the milk and cream to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Remove it from the heat and add the cornmeal in a very thin stream, stirring constantly. Taking handfuls of the cornmeal and allowing it to stream into the pan from a slightly open fist is the best way. When all the cornmeal has been added, stir until the mixture is thickened and very smooth.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the sugar, sundried tomatoes, sauteed mushrooms, chives and melted butter. Stir in the beaten eggs.
• Pour the mixture into the molds and set the molds in a pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the molds. Bake for 30 minutes.
• Unmold the timbales and serve them warm as a first course or to accompany roasted meats.

CREAMY POLENTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, bring the chicken broth, oil, garlic and 1 1/2 cups water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and whisk in the polenta. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, mascarpone, pecorino and butter. Cook, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Fold in the spinach and cook until wilted, about 5 minutes longer. Add 1/4 cup water if the mixture gets too thick.
• Pour the polenta into a large bowl and serve with grated Parmesan over the top.

POLENTA WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Cut the frozen blocks of spinach into small pieces and place in a heavy skillet without water. Cover the pan and heat the spinach just until it is thoroughly thawed. Drain and chop very fine. Blend the chopped spinach with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and olive oil. Oil an oval or square baking dish and put the spinach in the bottom. Top with polenta, dot with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in a 375°F. oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the polenta is delicately brown. Serve as an accompaniment to beef, veal or pork dishes.

CHEESY BREAKFAST EGG AND POLENTA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees with the rack in the center. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch pan and set aside.
• Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta and salt, and cook, stirring constantly until the polenta bubbles and pulls away from the pan, about 3 minutes. Vigorously stir in the milk, butter and cheese until smooth and creamy. (It will seem loose.)
• Spread the polenta onto the bottom of the prepared pan. Layer with meat, greens or anything else you desire. Use the back of a large spoon to create 8 small wells in the polenta. Crack the eggs inside, sprinkle with Parmesan, and bake 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how set you like your eggs. Let stand for 5 minutes; sprinkle with black pepper and basil and serve warm.

SOFT POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• In a pan, bring 3 cups water to a boil with a pinch of salt. Stir with a whisk as you sprinkle the polenta into the boiling water. Let the mixture cook for 3-5 minutes, or for the time given in the packet instructions. Add extra (boiling) water if necessary, the polenta should be nice and soft. Grate in nearly all of the Parmesan. Taste and season with freshly ground pepper and more salt, if necessary.
• When cooked, pour half of the polenta onto a flat plate that you've greased with olive oil, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for tomorrow.
• While the polenta cooks, sauté the mushrooms in a small splash of olive oil over a medium-high heat for around 10 minutes. Add the garlic at the end and cook briefly, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Remove the mushrooms from the pan and add the spinach. Stir-fry the spinach until just wilted. Remove the spinach from the pan and fry an egg (you might need to add another small splash of olive oil).
• Stir the butter into the cooked polenta and spoon it into a deep plate. Arrange the mushrooms and spinach on the polenta and top with the fried egg. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Top with the rest of the Parmesan, in slices.